New funding for scientist David Sabatini draws divided reactions

Billionaire New York hedge fund manager Bill Ackman built a record of going against the grain and taking whatever flack or controversy came his way.

True to form, Ackman announced last week that he and an anonymous donor had pledged $25 million over five years toward a new research lab for David Sabatini, a former star scientist from MIT and Whitehead Institute, whose career imploded in 2021 amid allegations of workplace misconduct and sexual harassment.

“We want him up and running right away,” Ackman told the Globe this week.

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